Match Information
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Coton Green 0-2 Dudley Town
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When: Saturday 4th February 2023
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: New Mill Lane, Fazeley, Tamworth, Staffs B78 3RX
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Competition: Midland Football League Division One
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Attendance: 67
I wanted to pay a visit due to the fact Coton Green FC are newly promoted to Step 6 of our national Non-League Pyramid this season having won promotion as runners-up in the Midland League Division Two.
In addition, I was attracted by visitors Dudley Town FC who I hold a long-standing soft spot for. That dates right back to the 1984/85 campaign when I vowed to attend a match in every round of the FA Cup and subsequently publish a book about it.
I started off at Dudley Town versus Heanor Town in the Preliminary Round and ended up watching Everton versus Manchester United in the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
It took me three months to write the book and I laugh out loud nowadays because I see copies are currently available on Ebay for the grand sum of 99p!
Anyway, all those ingredients prompted me to set off on a 250 mile round trip to Coton Green. The club play in Fazeley which is a small Staffordshire industrial town housing 4,500 residents on the outskirts of Tamworth.
Ground Description
It is located directly opposite the popular Drayton Manor Resort family theme park. As I arrived at Coton Green’s football ground, the first thing I noticed was an array of very striking club signs lining the approach route along New Mill Lane.
These were almost enticing casual visitors towards the main entrance gate. I discovered this wonderful display is due to Coton Green’s sponsorship by the nearby HNS Signs company.
Some 50 boards overall incorporate advertising hoardings, directional signage, club nostalgia, bar menus and tactics boards. Inside the ground, covered standing for 100 spectators is offered under the ‘Eddie Eccles Stand’.
It is dedicated to a loyal servant that pushed the first team forward massively in his secretarial role. Before he passed away in 2015, Eddie had three wishes - to get floodlights installed, to play in the FA Vase and then the FA Cup.
The first two milestones have been achieved whilst Coton Green hope to enter the FA Cup soon to completely fulfil Eddie’s dreams.
Meanwhile on the opposite side of the pitch, a smart looking 60-seater grandstand was created in 2020 during lockdown. This was in preparation for Coton Green’s application for Step 6 promotion to satisfy the necessary ground grading requirements.
I admired the home-made construction which the club designed in-house utilising natural inclines of the pre-existing grass banking.
Thereafter, they purchased required materials and were fortunate enough to receive a donation of the seats from Racing Club Warwick FC - who originally inherited them when Walsall FC moved out of Fellows Park in 1990.
Coton Green volunteers built the stand and it took a month to complete.
Programme Details
Entitled ‘GREEN ARMY’ and good value at £1. The interesting contents embraced manager’s notes, history of both teams, a player Q&A, stats and matchday line-ups.
The Match
It was an important fixture with Dudley Town top of the Midland League Division One and Coton Green also riding high in the table. A sense of occasion was provided via local Radio Tamworth community station broadcasting live from the ground.
Indeed, enthusiastic disc jockey John Chesworth entertained supporters prior to kick-off and at half-time. His chosen playlist of varied music blasted out courtesy of giant speakers raised on a platform behind the goal.
It was scoreless at the break but Dudley Town gradually took control. Owen Massey broke the deadlock through a bullet header on 71 minutes. Harry Crook’s crafty turn and finish 10 minutes later made it 2-0.
The decisive goals were wildly celebrated by Dudley’s travelling fans brandishing a huge Saint George’s Cross that exhibited their club details.
They delivered a multitude of heartfelt songs including spirited renditions of “Dudley Town FC…From the Black Country…” I giggled on hearing one of them noisily demand an offside decision in yelling: “Raise your flag lino – like you’re at New Street Station!”
The People
Coton Green secretary Aaron Cartwright manned the entry pay desk allowing him to give a friendly welcome to everyone arriving. Actually, I noticed several members of Aaron’s family are connected to the club so I asked him for more details.
He told me: “Five of us are involved. Myself, my brother Scott (chairman), another brother Jamie (treasurer), my dad Neil (facilities manager) and our mum Lynn (cleaner).
“Dad started the involvement and first joined Coton Green 27 years ago. He is at New Mill Lane each day for two to three hours working on the pitches and other aspects around the site.
“I came in at under-9 level and progressed through all of the age groups before breaking into first team aged 15. I played there up until Covid when I had surgery on both knees and retired from football.
“Jamie appeared alongside me in the first team. He was captain for the 15 years we played together. Furthermore, Scott was elected chairman five years ago after coaching one of our sides as well as volunteering on the committee.
“For my entire family, Coton Green Football Club holds a very fond place in our hearts and without it I’m really not sure what we would all do every weekend!”
*Credit for photos in this article belongs to @TonyIncenzo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 10th February 2023
